Lanai:
Getting There and Getting Around
Getting There
You can get to Lanai via an
inter-island flight from one of the other
Hawaiian islands. There is no service
from the North American mainland or from
Asia. While many visitors arrive by air,
at least as many people get to Lanai via
a shuttle boat from Maui. Regularly
scheduled shuttles depart from Lahaina
(on the western side of Maui) throughout
the day.
Several companies provide
ferry service between Maui and Lanai. We
have had good luck with Expeditions,
which runs five round trip shuttles each
day. The trip takes about 45 minutes and
costs about $25 one way. If you make the
trip during peak whale-spotting season
(November through April), you may spot
some whales, as we did, on our most
recent crossing from Maui. We recommend
that you sit inside the boat because you
will get VERY wet if you sit on the upper
floor, which is not covered. Call for
departure times and reservations
(recommended) at 808-661-3756.
There are no services at the
Manele Bay Harbor, so you need to call
ahead to make arrangements to be picked
up. If you are staying at one of the
hotels on Lanai, a hotel shuttle will
pick you up. Same thing for the car
rental company – one of their
staffers will pick you up at the harbor
and drive you to the car rental office,
which is a 15 minute drive up into the
hills in Lanai City.
Getting Around
Lanai is not an island that
can be easily explored on foot. Although
the island is quite small, few of the
sights are within easy walking distance
of the airport or the docking point at
Manele Bay Harbor. Moreover, the steep
hills will slow you down considerably if
you are getting around by foot.
If you try to rent a car on
Lanai, you will see why monopolies were
outlawed in the United States. There is
only one rental company represented on
Lanai, and they charge you for the
exclusivity: four-wheel-drive jeeps go
for about $120 per day. Vehicles that can
be driven only on paved roads go for
about $60 per day. To rent a car on
Lanai, call the Lanai Dollar-Rent-A-Car
office at 808-565-7087 or e-mail the
manager at ravee@aloha.net.
"Damage" is one of
the reasons for the high rental cost,
since many renters return their jeeps in
multiple parts. The jeeps also come back
pretty dirty, although you will be
charged a clean-up fee if they are
outrageously muddy. On the other hand, a
little mud won’t hurt anyone, and we
would definitely say that you did
something wrong if you return your jeep
without some mud on it (see our article
on four-wheeling on
Lanai).
Insurance, or the lack
thereof, is another issue you need to be
aware of. Dollar does not offer any
insurance options on their jeeps –
no one will underwrite it. You may be
covered by the collision insurance
associated with your credit card, so read
up on the coverage before you leave for
Hawaii. Keep in mind that your coverage
is likely to be voided if you operate the
jeep in violation of the rental
agreement, such as driving on roads that
are off-limits even to four-wheel
vehicles.
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